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Risk of Russian missiles hitting Poland could rise if targets intercepted over Ukraine - Polish analyst

10 September, 2024 Tuesday
19:42

Dr. Łukasz Adamski, a historian, political analyst, and deputy director of the Juliusz Mieroszewski Centre for Dialogue in Poland, discussed the potential and risks of Poland shooting down Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine

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He spoke about this on Espreso TV.

Dr. Adamski mentioned that Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has said that he is working to help Ukraine acquire weapons that can target distant objects in Russia. Sikorski has suggested that Poland might consider intercepting Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory if there is a threat to Poles or to nuclear power plants.

At the same time, Łukasz Adamski noted that if Poland starts shooting down Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine, there is a risk that Russia will launch its missiles more intensively toward the country.

“Some members of the Polish political elite are skeptical about this decision. The recent attack in Lviv has deeply affected everyone, and there is a lot of sympathy. However, if Poland begins intercepting Russian missiles, the risk of increased missile or drone attacks on Poland could rise significantly. Additionally, Poland might be forced to partially close its airspace. Finally, if debris from intercepted missiles or drones falls on Polish territory, it might kill someone. There are both pros and cons to consider,” he said.

The analyst believes that the best solution would be to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons against targets in Russia.

“It seems to me that the most effective approach would be for the West to permit this. Of course, the West should be consulted, as Poland is a NATO member and must coordinate such decisions with its allies. However, the key point is that the weapons provided by the West should be used not just at the border areas of Russia but also in its deeper rear. For systems like HIMARS to strike far away, Poland absolutely supports this,” said Łukasz Adamski.

  • Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski declared that Poland and other neighboring countries have a "constitutional obligation" to intercept Russian missiles before they breach their airspace.
  • Later, the Polish Foreign Ministry clarified that Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski’s comments about Warsaw's “constitutional duty” to intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine reflect his personal opinion, not the official stance of the Polish government.
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